SSurname

BIOGRAPHY OF LEWIS KING SMITH.
In Jackson Township of Randolph County is a farm that has been in the Smith family for nearly a hundred years, or since 1837. Its present owner is Lewis King Smith, who was born and grew up there, but whose active life has been spent largely in business affairs. Mr. Smith has for many years been the authorized Ford car dealer at Union City. He was born December 18, 1862, son of Joseph Pancoast and Mary Ann (Handschy) Smith, and grandson of Thomas and Mercy (Pancoast) Smith. His grandparents and his father were born in Belmont County, Ohio Joseph Pancoast Smith was born October 12 1820, and his wife was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, June 6, 1823. The father of Mary Ann Handschy was Henry Handschy, a native of Switzerland. The Smith family came from Ohio by covered wagons and settled in Jackson Township in 1837. Joseph Pancoast Smith after his marriage located on the eighty-acre tract of wild timberland, which he entered from the Government, and was, engaged in its clearing and improvement the rest of his life. He died in 1898 and his wife in 1894. The old farm today comprises an addition to the original eighty acres something over twenty acres more. Lewis King Smith was one of eight children, three of whom are now living. His two sisters are Catherine, widow of L. D. Pratt, of Jay County, Indiana, and Mercy Alpha, wife of Alexander Peden, of Jackson Township, Randolph County. Lewis King Smith attended District School No. 2, the Ridgeville College and the Eastern Indiana Normal School at Portland. For four years he taught school, and then took up his commercial career, spending three years in the mercantile business at New Pittsburg, Indiana, five years at North Salem, and in 1895 moved to Union City. For seventeen years he was a teller in the Commercial National Bank and for one year was secretary of the Union Loan & Trust Company. Mr. Smith has conducted the Ford automobile agency at Union City since 1915. It is one of the oldest agencies under one ownership in Eastern Indiana. For the better accommodation of his business he erected in 1922 a two-story brick building with over 20,000 square feet of floor space. This is now well provided with all the equipment for adequate service for the Ford cars. Mr. Smith married, in 1890, Louisa Anna L Yount. She was born in Darke County, Ohio, a daughter of George and Tillie (Shearer) Yount. Her parents were natives of Miami County, Ohio, and her grandparents, who also came from Ohio, were Jacob and Louisa Yount and Titus and Joanna (Yount) Shearer. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one daughter, Aouda Blaine, the wife of Roy Haber. Mr. and Mrs. Haber are both graduates of Ohio State University, and during the World war he was in the surgeon general's office at Washington He is now in partnership with Mr. Smith in the automobile business. Mr. and Mrs. Haber have three children, Margaret Ann, Lewis Smith and Joan. The family attend the Presbyterian Church Mr. Smith, while strictly a businessman, has maintained an active interest in Republican politics. He has filled the chairs of the Knights of Pythias Lodge. Mr. Haber is a member of the Rotary Club and the American Legion.
This book has no cover, and no index, I bought it on Ebay, it just has the insides, but it full of Indiana biographies. I am not researching this family, just thought I would share. I do not know anymore about these families or these surnames.
Typed by Lora Radiches

Pages 321-323 Letter from W.D. Stone to Mrs. Lynch.
Chapter V.

Union City, Ind., June 8, 8196

Mrs. M. C. Lynch:--Your postal requesting me to writhe something for your forthcoming book came to hand this afternoon, and I write some of the antics, some of the historical facts, some of the crosses, some of the losses, some of the escapes form dangerous accidents, some of the toils of a hard fate in life, some of the trials of a back-woodsman's struggle for existence in the real battle for success on earth, some of the exciting scenes of my life while fighting for my country upon the hard fought battle fields, of two wars, through which, to maintain its honor, its existence and perpetuity, this glorious republic marched to victory and to glory, and maintained its honor, its dignity, its unity, and perpetuity.
Erza Stone, my father, was born in New Jersey; Elizabeth Dye, my mother was born in Ohio. These two were married in 1816. To this union were born six children, three boys and three girls. Of these, Asachel, the oldest, whose life is prominently connected with the development of Randolph County, materially, socially and politically, died in 1891, after a short but painful sickness. He was prominent in both state and county affairs. He had represented this county in both the House of Representatives and State senate. He also took a prominent part in the Union cause in the great Rebellion, having served both as commissary general and quarter-master general under Governor Morton during the most of the war period. His remains are buried in the beautiful cemetery he laid out and donated to the city of Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.
The writer hereof was born in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, June 16th, 1826. His parents were poor in this world's goods, but had a good reputation as honest, pious Christians. Father was a strict Baptist, while mother was a most devout Methodist. I was always known as "Mother's boy." The older children tormented me a great deal for always siding with mother. It is said that "every one has his price." In the saying there is "more truth than poetry." My first distinct desire was for a pair of "red-top boots!" This was the soft spot, the salient point. I was about four years of age. I sold out, soul, body and heart. I was honest in the transfer. The boots came. I was no longer "mother's bay!" I was "pap's booted man!" I was tormented by all the children of the family. Five of us were then living. I am still impressed with the fact that nearly every child of that household could show bruises made by those boot toes I had always gone to church with mother. My parents would go to the front gate together then mother would start east and father west to their respective churches. This was a part of the bargain. I had not considered; I paused at the gat. Father and mother had gone two or three steps and paused. The war was raging in their hearts as deadly as in mine. Father spoke: "Hurry up; go with one of us." Just then I got a glimpse of my boots and jumped to father. Looking back I saw mother wipe tears from her eyes. She had lost her boy! No! she had saved a soul for whom she would have died! Upon our return home I was taunted by the other children till I was almost crazed for being a "turn-coat." I pulled the boots off, slammed them on the floor in defiance, and from the moment those boots never were again put on my feet. From that day to this no power can compel me to do what I believe to be wrong.
My father was a carpenter by trade, and frequently he would go to New Orleans in the fall and back to Cincinnati. Usually he would leave my mother and the children in Cincinnati during the summer and return in the fall. In 1837 he moved the family to New Orleans. That summery mother and one sister died in New Orleans and were buried there. In 1838 my brother and wife moved to Winchester, Randolph County, Ind. Father and I returned to New Orleans, and in 1839 we returned to Winchester, and father bought a farm near town, including a part of the present Fair grounds. Upon this farm I lived and worked for father till 1847, when contrary to his advice and wishes, I left home and volunteered in the Mexican war. My father and brother, General A. Stone, saved the letters I wrote to them while there. These letters are rich and racy, and many youngsters call at my home to hear the Mexican letters read. I also kept a dairy, one-half of which is still preserved, giving an account of every important move made by our forces. In this many of my tantrams and oddities are made amusing by their drolleries. I was in several battles and skirmishes. Was injured in my left knee by the explosion of the steamer Ann Chase, which attempted to transport us from New Orleans to Brazos. Several men were killed or injured by this explosion. Sixty-five of us got ashore on the Louisiana cost and marched through swamps, thickets and canebrakes to Sabin City, Texas, sixty-five miles. Some perished on the route. From Sabin we were taken by a sail vessel to Galveston. Thereon to the Rio Grande to Taylor's army. We were then ordered to Vere Cruz to General Scott, on the road to the City of Mexico. When we arrived at Vere Cruz Scott had started to the "Halls of the Montezumas." The Mexicans had many of them gotten in Scott's rear and re-occupied the route.

Reminiscences of Adams, Jay and Randolph Counties City of Publication: Fort Wayne, Ind. Publisher: Lipes, Nelson & Singmaster, job printers Date: 1897? Page Count: 366

Transcribed by Andrea Long